Grimsby Town boss pays tribute to Alex Hughes

The head coach of Grimsby Town FC has paid tribute to the club's player recruitment lead, calling him a "lovely, top guy".

Former football agent and player Alex Hughes, who recently died at the age of 38, joined the Mariners in 2025.

His death in June was described by the club at the time as "sudden and unexpected".

Head coach David Artell said: "He would take everything into account, and he was just such a good guy. Life can be really cruel."

Speaking to BBC Radio Humberside, Artell described Hughes as being "really comfortable in his own skin".

"He wasn't the loudest in the room, he liked process. He was good at his job, very humble," Artell said.

Hughes played for Stockport County and Wrexham's reserve teams before beginning his career in player analysis and recruitment.

He then held roles at Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Fulham, AFC Fylde and Morecambe, and worked as a player agent at a private academy in Portugal for about a decade.

He was the son of former Manchester United, Chelsea and Wales striker Mark Hughes, who also managed Wales between 1999 and 2004.

Artell talked about processing the news of Hughes's death, both personally and as a club.

"You only get one hit of this goal, in this life, and it's not been easy," he said. "It's just sad, really sad."

In a statement shortly after his death, the club described Hughes as a "devoted husband, proud father, beloved son, brother and friend", who played "an important role" in the development of the men's first-team squad.

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